The Lisbon Maru resurfaces on screen
Fang had initially estimated the film would cost a few million yuan, but the scope of the project expanded, and by 2021, his funds ran dry. He sold his homes in Beijing and Chengdu and now rents an apartment. "I'm out of money, but it's OK as long as I'm still alive. And this film — it's something I have to make. It's my mission to remind the world of the story of the Lisbon Maru," Fang says.
Over the course of seven years, he and his crew traveled to the UK, the US, Japan, Canada, and China, gathering documents and interviewing the families of over 380 survivors. On Aug 23, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru premiered on Dongji Island, where the tragedy occurred. Fang wrote on his WeChat moments: "We finally showed the documentary on Dongji Island, the very place where our ancestors performed their heroic acts 82 years ago. I also received the honorary title of 'Dongji Island Citizen' — a privilege I treasure deeply."
The film had a theatrical release on Sept 6, and quickly earned a rating of 9.3 on Douban, ranking first among theatrical releases this year. Viewers described it as "touching", "a reminder not to forget history", and "a tribute to the goodness of the Chinese people".
"The Chinese fishermen didn't understand English, so there was no verbal communication. They only knew that they needed to save people. This, I believe, reflected a fundamental kindness and beauty in human nature. That was the most touching part for me," said viewer Chang Shuoyu, according to CCTV News.
Sadly, many of the film's central narrators — Lin, Morley, and Beningfield — have passed away since 2019. Reflecting on the project, Fang says, "The window to capture these firsthand accounts was between 2018 and 2019. I was lucky to have seized that moment. Had I not acted, I would have been a criminal in the eyes of history."
For the director, the project has become a responsibility, a way to honor the lives lost and the brave actions of the Chinese fishermen who risked everything to save strangers.
